Davenport Security Services, Inc.
9.71) |associations= |parent= |subsid= *Edgepoint Aviation Services *Monolith Construction, LLC *Mercury Transportation *Embraer Aeronautics (controls 35% of shares) |headquarters= *Dallas, Texas |locations= |role= *Private Military Contractor |products= |founding=2403 |revenue= 123.6 billion cR |divisions= *DSS Relief Services *DSS Aviation *DSS Personnel Security *DSS Transport Services *DSS Investigation Division |employed=18,700 |era= *Insurrection *Human-Covenant War *Post-Human Covenant War |affiliation=United Nations Space Command }} Introduction In the diverse pantheon of Private Military Companies which thrived throughout Human civilization for centuries Davenport Security Services (DSS) was among the most notable, not only for the often undisciplined behavior of its contractors, but for its wide array of often less-than-legal contacts within the public and private sectors. Yet despite these oft-voiced concerns, DSS grew to become one of most widely employed PMCs in Human history, her contractors playing vital roles in a host of brushfire wars across the Galaxy. Corporate History Founding Davenport Security Systems was founded by Marion R. Davenport, a retired UNSC navy officer, after he witnessed the vast profits made by PMCs. Davenport, well-educated and ambitious, felt the slow-moving peacetime military was a waste of his talents, and so he left the UNSC to found his fledgling company, a decision he never regretted personally or financially, for even the lowliest of private contractors earned more than a Navy Lieutenant. Many of Davenport's fellow officers regarded his choice either as an act of betrayal or as an inspiration, some joining his company, but many went on to later be his most bitter foes within the UNSCDF in latter years. Under Marion Davenport's leadership, DSS rapidly became one of the most successful PMCs in existence. Davenport cultivated strong personal relationships with UNSC leaders, currying countless favors, a fact which DSS exploited to land hundreds of bodyguard and private security deals. Taking advantage of the new found profits these deals secured, Davenport launched an aggressive expansion program, planting new divisions, assimilating or acquiring a handful of smaller companies, and hiring hundreds of new personnel, many of them special forces operators lured away by Davenport's promises of plump paychecks. Inner Colony Wars DSS's surge in manpower came just in time for the Inner Colony Wars, a conflict which placed billions of cRs in Davenport's coffers as DSS landed a series of deals which endowed them with the responsibility for reconstruction efforts on the ravaged Inner Colonies. It was during this time period that Davenport engineered the buyout of Monolith Construction, LLC and Mercury Transportation, two promising businesses which diversified DSS's portfolio even further, and allowed Davenport to rebuild the ravaged Inner Colonies within the space of a mere 5 years, a feat which made Marion Davenport a hero, and attracted even more clients to DSS. Between the Wars For many of the private military companies, the conclusion of the Inner Colony Wars was a disaster. Peace meant the gradual drying up of the conflict PMCs needed to survive, and consequently many were forced to close their doors. But DSS this time of drought was a season of growth. Davenport began acquiring key personnel from now-defunct rivals, building a talented team of executives and contractors within the ranks of DSS. Davenport also expanded into other sectors, purchasing a large block of ailing Brazilian aircraft company Embraer's stock. Using his connections, Davenport was able to successfully market Embraer's latest design, the sleek Condor, a product which proved successful in both the civil and military markets. But the continued growth came at a high price. With the continued drying up of war- and security-related profits, Davenport was forced to resort to other options to fund his company's further expansion. He chose the most unexpected: going public. Going Public Initially the investment sector remained testy about funding a company populated by what "bunch of mercenaries," but Davenport's success with Embraer and the Condor project convinced potential stock buyers, DSS was a flexible, versatile company with a bright future ahead. Davenport Security's past habit of securing lucrative contracts and forging profitable deals with both governmental and private customers, sealed the deal. DSS's IPO (initial public offering) was one of the most successful in NYSE history, Davenport netting millions in venture capital. But even under Davenport's visionary guidance DSS's stock remained one of the the most volatile on the NYSE, prices alternately skyrocketing and plummeting, as DSS dodged nagging controversy in search of massive profits. Leadership Struggles Marion Davenport's retirement in 2476, DSS sought new leadership. CEO Ralph Fremont was hired with the hope he could further expand DSS's construction and transportation subsidiaries. But Fremont proved incapable of grasping the complexities of DSS's security operations, and DSS's stock plummeted so deeply, many feared the company would fail. Fremont was fired and replacement CEO Gordon M. Dealy was able to rescue DSS, but as he nursed DSS back to health he proved overly reluctant to participate in the law-bending DSS relied so heavily upon for its success. Former aviation engineer and newly-hired DSS CEO Gerard Gable made headway with an Embraer-lead Pelican-replacement project, but the concept's rejection by the UNSC lead to his firing after only three years as DSS's CEO. It was not until the installation of Marion Davenport's grandson Silas H. Lee-Davenport in 2488 that DSS was endowed with the strong leadership it needed to survive in the turmoil of the private military industry. Lee-Davenport, like his grandfather, was a former Navy officer, and he put his military exeperience to good use at the helm of DSS. Under Lee-Davenport's direction DSS aggressively expanded it private security services, hiring hundreds of new contractors and modernizing much of DSS's weaponry and equipment, replacing much of the aging, unreliable military surplus equipment DSS contractors had been forced to rely upon in the field. But Lee-Davenport's decision nearly bankrupt DSS, stock prices plummeted and once again a leadership change proved likely, but circumstances intervened, saving Lee-Davenport's job, and DSS. Insurrection With the Insurrections threatening the very fabric of the UNSC's existence, DSS's services were in greater demand than ever. Hundreds of assorted companies operating the in Colonies with services ranging from starlines to trucking firms, all afraid of the threat the threat posed by URF rebels to their business ventures, hired thousands of DSS contractors to safeguard their property and their employees' lives. DSS's other business ventures also thrived during the Insurrection, its transport and construction firms making record profits rebuilding the damaged caused by URF terrorists. But the future held something even more promising for DSS: the largest war in the history of Mankind. Human-Covenant War The emergence of the Covenant brought in even more business for DSS, as paranoid business owners, distrusting the UNSC, paid DSS contractors vast sums for security. Yet even DSS's newly modernized weaponry was of little use against the might of the Covenant and hundreds of DSS employees and customers died in the glassing of planets like Harvest. Having lost many of its outposts and most profitable fields of business, DSS began consolidating its efforts on the Inner Colonies. DSS's offices on Reach became one of the most heavily fortified complexes in existence, surpassed only by few UNSC military bases. However, even the fortified base was inadequate protection against the Covenant's hordes, and over a thousand DSS employees died when the base was besieged by Covenant ground forces. DSS's interests on Earth fared far better than many of her colonial ones, and despite the damage inflicted to Human cities by the Covenant and Flood, most of DSS's Earth-based assets survived. DSS contractors fought alongside UNSC Marines, accounting for hundreds of Covenant casualties and playing a major role in curtailing Covenant activity in the Southern United States. And as Humanity turned to lick her wounds, DSS emerged bloody, but still largely intact, ready for the one of the most pivotal periods in her long and chaotic history. Litigation Within a few years of its inception, DSS earned the dubious distinction of being one of the most heavily litigated companies in the surpassing even the oft-sued alcohol and tobacco manufacturers. Lawsuits were filed for a wide range of reasons, some from disgruntled former employees over what they deemed "wrongful termination," others from wealth-seeking attorneys seeking to gather a share of Davenport's vast profits. But most suits stemmed from civilians angry at the trigger-happy attitude of DSS contractors, a mindset which could lead to the wrongful death of civilians living with areas where DSS operated. But more importantly scores of suits originated from legislators and attorneys who, unable to bring Davenport's oft-illegal actions to light through normal judicial channels, turned to civil suits to call their attention to DSS's lawbreaking. But Davenport executives were well-prepared for hostile legal action, and assembled one of the finest legal teams in business history to defend Davenport. If necessary, DSS would also seek to preempt hostile legal action, by suing potential litigators before they themselves or sending contractors to "persuade" the litigators of the wisdom of taking a more "forgiving" stance towards DSS. Controversy and Criticism Davenport's very success was a topic of extreme controversy. As a private contractor, it was heavily reliant upon the lucrative contracts offered by governments and large corporations, and Davenport secured on average 87.4% of all contracts it bid for, an incredibly high contract award percentage, and a number which fueled accusations of corruption. At numerous points during its corporate history Davenport executives and employees were accused of graft and corruption, but thanks to the government connections and skilled legal team of DSS, the charges seldom went through. Davenport contractors also acquired a reputation for operating "weapons-free" with a frequency that rivaled the Marine Corps, a habit which lead to a slew of noncombatant shootings Business Philosophy In line with the aggressive, often unstable personality of founder Marion R. Davenport, DSS adopted a fast-moving, live-in-the-moment style of doing business, a style many observers criticized as being "reckless," "short-sighted" and "overly confrontational." Yet this seemingly detrimental practice made Davenport vastly more effective than many of its fellow Private Military Companies; its contractors, unburdened by indecisive leadership, were given more freedom in demanding tactical situations, allowing them to prevail in cases were other PMCs had met with frustration. This corporate culture spilled out into DSS hiring philosophy, indeed some DSS recruiters deliberately hired candidates known for highly aggressive, yet decisive action, recognizing that men and women like this not only bolstered Davenport's reputation as a remarkably hard-charging, unrelenting company, but gave DSS an advantage in the hazardous situations its employees so often venture into. Never asking questions about potential customers, frequently lead to Davenport employees inadvertently being implicated in illegal, however, with the creation of an Investigation branch charged with researching prospective customers Davenport seldom accidentally broke the law after that point, most lawbreaking being deliberate transgressions on the part of Davenport's leadership, and these transgressions were distressingly common. Davenport executives took a very broad interpretation of the law, alternatively observing its spirit or its letter, their decisions based solely upon what would benefit Davenport in the short run, although this habit made DSS a target for criticism from what DSS leaders derogatorily labeled as "whistle blowers," usually uttering a somewhat more unprintable adjective before. Hiring Practices Virtually all of DSS's field contractors had significant military experience, a trait many of the company's executives also shared. This ex-military culture resulted in Davenport's tendency to hire many of its personnel from the UNSCDF and, on occasion, from promising local militias. The high pay and lawless attitude of Davenport also appealed to former special operators, and many of DSS's elite field contractors had SOCOM backgrounds. Services Founded as a Private Military Company, DSS's primary service since its inception has that of providing security for client personnel and assets. Its contractors have seen action in a variety of theaters and operations. Davenport's range of equipment and skill sets have given it significant operational flexibility, allowing it to do everything from escort VIPs to leveling entire city blocks. According to its jargon-filled corporate literature, DSS "provides tactical services at strategic ranges." In practice, this means that it can have a rapid-reaction force of contractors deployed and active at any location in Human space within 30 days. And within 60 days, these contractors will have access to a full range of DSS resources ranging from LAVs to spy satellites to various manned and unmanned air/spacecraft. And although DSS's primary services are security-oriented, its subsidiaries have substantial R&D, production, and service capability. This in-house capacity allows DSS to circumvent miles of legal and regulatory red tape, as well as giving it greater contract-winning opportunity by allowing it to consolidate offers and solutions into a diverse, single-contract package more specialized competitors cannot match. Subsidiaries *Edgepoint Aviation Services *Monolith Construction, LLC *Mercury Transportation *Embraer Aeronautics (controls 53% of shares) *Delos and Co. Shipping *Seymour Agricultural *Fry-Cooke Orbital Enterprises Quotes